Level with magnetic holding means



June 1, 1965 N. FLORKO, JR

L EVEL WITH MAGNETIC HOLDING MEANS Filed July 24, 1961 INV EN TOR.

MOHOLAS FIIORKOJ/R. 7%{24} United States Patent 6 LEVEL WITH MAGNETIC HOLDING MEANS Nicholas Florko, Jr., 181 Helen St, Buffalo, N.Y. Filed July 24, 1961, Ser. No. 126,089 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-207) This invention relates to hand tools, and more particularly to hand tools used by carpenters, sheet metal layout men and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination :tool that will serve in many capacities, which heretofore had been accomplished with individual tools.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination tool that is handy since it may be carried in the pocket of the worker and substantially increases the workers capacity.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a combination tool bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical view of the present invention shown pantly broken away and with the scriber fully extended;

FIGURE 72 is a vertical view of the magnet shown removed from FIG. 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a top View of the invention shown in FIG 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a sleeve made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include hexagonal outside surfaces 12, and an inner bore 14 longitudinally therethrough. A pocket clip 16 is fixedly secured to a side 12 near the uppermost end of sleeve 10 allowing easy retainment in the operators pocket or apron.

A knurled extension 18 having a frusto-conical shaped end is fixedly secured at its other end to the lowermost portion of sleeve 10 and is substantially hollow therethrough, receiving through its lower end jaws 22, being adjustable of conventional type and receiving scribe 24. A shaft 26 having threads 28 near its uppermost end is threadedly received by bore 14 of sleeve 10 and a magnet member 27 is fixedly secured to the innermost end of shaft 26. At the uppermost end of shaft 26 is an opening 30 at right angles to the longitudinal axis of shaft 26 and an opening 32 intersecting opening 30 is centrally in alignment with shaft 26 longitudinally, thereby receiving cord 34.

In operation, a bubble level made in the conventional manner is fixedly secured and recessed with a side 12 of sleeve 10. The scribe 24 may be lowered in the conventional manner through jaws 22 of the sleeve 10 and the operator may make his mark or line on any suitable surface on which he is Working while holding sleeve 10 in his right or left hand.

When the operator wishes to use the tool as a level indicator, he places side 12 that is directly beneath the level indicator 36 on any surface on which he wishes to take a level reading.

It is frequently necessary to use a level without a magnet in the same, as for instance, when a tool is used in a ice shop where steel shavings or chips may be present on the object on which the tool is to be used. In such a case the accumulation of chips on the sleeve, due to magnetic force, is eliminated by withdrawing the magnet from the sleeve so that the level can be used with accuracy Without interference by magnetic chips or shavings. Furthermore, when the object on which this tool is to be used has chips or other particles of magnetic material thereon, and the magnetic holding of the tool is desired, the tool without the magnet in place canfirst be positioned on the object with the magnetic particles brushed away, and the magnet can then be inserted to hold the tool in place.

When the operator wishes to use the combination tool as a plumb bob, he will unthread the shaft 26 from the bore 14 of sleeve 10 and tie a cord of suitable length therethrough openings 32 and 30. It will thus be recognized that the operator can use the magnet 27 that is fixedly secured to shaft 26 to pick up or locate any ferrous materials, such as bolts, nails, tacks, and the like. When the magnet is placed within the sleeve 10,'the tool may be supported by means of the magnet either above or below a magnetic article, whereupon the indication on the level indicator may be readily determined without requiring the user to hold the indicator. This enables the user to work with both hands, for example, to adjust the posit-ion of an article to which the indicator is attached by the magnet.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A tool comprising a hollow sleeve having a flat face on the exterior thereof, and an opening on the side of said sleeve, a level indicator secured in said sleeve in posi tion to be visible in said opening, a permanent magnet insertable into said hollow sleeve through an open end thereof, whereby said magnet can support said tool on any body of magnetic material to enable the level indicator to be observed without holding said tool by hand on said body, and a detachable connection between said magnet and said sleeve for holding said magnet within said sleeve and for permitting removal of said magnet from said sleeve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,635,857 7/27 Murray 33-216 1,745,027 1/ 30 Oxford 33-216 2,224,892 12/40 Allen.

2,683,931 7/54 Fahlgren.

2,695,949 11/54 Ashwill 33-207 2,708,317 5/55 Warne 33-207 2,789,363 4/57 Miley 33-207 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,160,564 3/58 France.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner, 

